But the truth is, our website is only made possible by displaying advertisements to our visitors, ads keep the site running and free. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker for our website.

Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to contribute to this site by submitting your own content or replying to existing content. You'll be able to customize your profile, receive reputation points as a reward for submitting content, while also communicating with other members via your own private inbox, plus much more! This message will be removed once you have signed in.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

He's a nice player for sure but I feel like our big midfield buy should be a super talented younger guy with loads of potential to improve even further. We already have a central midfielder nearing 30 in Cesc who will likely only decline from here on. Nainggolan isn't there yet but is getting to that age as well and has probably peaked.

Don't get me wrong, I'd have him here, but I personally still have dreams of Simeone coming and bringing Koké with him. Probably unrealistic but that's the sort of player I want. Someone who's 24-25 and still has their best years in front of them.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Have you actually watched him? 10 times more technical than Matic and arguably a better ball winner than Obi and Ruben. A 4-3-3 with him, Cesc and Matic/Ruben would be elite.

He barely scores and has like 12 assists in six years since he's been playing in Serie A. It is more than 200 official matches so this makes it one assist at every 15-16 games. Knows only how to run & tackle and picks up yellow cards for fun. Now explain me why would he be any different from Ramires?

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

He barely scores and has like 12 assists in six years since he's been playing in Serie A. It is more than 200 official matches so this makes it one assist at every 15-16 games. Knows only how to run & tackle and picks up yellow cards for fun. Now explain me why would he be any different from Ramires?

He is a defensive midfielder his job is not to score his job is to defend and he is more tehnical than Matic and much faster with the ball than Matic.

Link to post

Share on other sites

He barely scores and has like 12 assists in six years since he's been playing in Serie A. It is more than 200 official matches so this makes it one assist at every 15-16 games. Knows only how to run & tackle and picks up yellow cards for fun. Now explain me why would he be any different from Ramires?

His job is not to score or assist, he is a defensive midfielder. His job is to make his presence felt, to disrupt play - getting yellow cards are mandatory. And he is far more composed on the ball than Ramires.

Getting players like him in a step in the right direction. Our midfield right now is completely toothless. We just let teams with any decent midfield run the show.

Or do you want to continue with passengers like Mikel and Fabregas who do fuck all in big games?

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

He barely scores and has like 12 assists in six years since he's been playing in Serie A. It is more than 200 official matches so this makes it one assist at every 15-16 games. Knows only how to run & tackle and picks up yellow cards for fun. Now explain me why would he be any different from Ramires?

When you are a defensive midfielder.. I doubt you need to contribute with assists or goals, lmao. He does pick up yellow cards regularly, though.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

The real question is: would you like him alongside Matić, with Fabregas too, in 4-3-3? Or 4-2-3-1 with Fabregas - Radja at pivot?

In case of 4-3-3 Matić-Radja-Fabregas, YES, it will be important for him to add some goals/assists. Why? We already have Matić who REALLY is defensive midfielder (not b2b like Radja) and who adds close to nothing upfront.

Matić - Radja would be something like Essien - Ballack. But Ballack is whole other dimension compared to Matić in terms of scoring.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

If there's anything you can't blame Mikel for it's turning up in big games. He's done it all the time.

I hope you're not just referring to 2012...it was 4 years ago, with a completely different team (with multiple leaders) and different system (10 other men behind the ball). Mikel has done nothing of note since.

Oh wait, there was that one game a few weeks ago...and he scored a goal last week to make up for his initial fuck up. Yeah, I take it back, forget what I said.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I hope you're not just referring to 2012...it was 4 years ago, with a completely different team (with multiple leaders) and different system (10 other men behind the ball). Mikel has done nothing of note since.

Oh wait, there was that one game a few weeks ago...and he scored a goal last week to make up for his initial fuck up. Yeah, I take it back, forget what I said.

How about 2009? He was outstanding in boths legs vs Barcelona, specially in our home game.

Or how about the away game in Madrid in 2013?

You don't need to play the ignorant here. Just because we haven't had many big games lately or because he wasn't used in some games doesnt mean he hasn't shown that he is reliable when played.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

So, those are guys that Conte want to sign when he become our new manager. Just imagine that we sign Vidal, Nainggolan and Pogba. The most eccentric hairstyles in midfield ever, I would pay to see them together for atleast one game!

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

So, those are guys that Conte want to sign when he become our new manager. Just imagine that we sign Vidal, Nainggolan and Pogba. The most eccentric hairstyles in midfield ever, I would pay to see them together for atleast one game!